Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

RobertFoster

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You'll probably be disappointed - its not difficult in itself. What makes it difficult is getting boxed in (very narrow road) on a sportive. If the rider/s in front come to a stop in front of you, it's almost impossible to get clipped in and to get going again.

Full Wall - https://www.strava.com/segments/824925

Half Wall - https://www.strava.com/segments/1077130 (which many think is the full wall!)

I wasn't disappointed

I approached it from the Old Military Rd., taking a left after Glencree. I stopped at the metal bridge (Oonagh Bridge) just before the wall for a few minutes to enjoy the river and the sunshine (and a banana).

When I set off again, I wasn't expecting the climb to start as soon as I turned the corner (the clue is in the name I suppose!) and I was in entirely the wrong gear. I shifted down as quickly as possible, but decided to turn around and start again. Once that initial climb is out of the way there's no major shocks for the rest of it.

Beautiful day for it, and a beautiful part of the country to be in. So quiet too going uphill, just the odd bird and my breathing breaking the silence.

The descent back was a bit iffy with the surface and how narrow the road is. My pump hopped out of my pocket on a particularly rough patch - I wouldn't recommend hill walking in cleats

Headed home via the Devils Elbow (hopefully quicker this time), about 95km in all. It's nice to have the weather to go exploring.

Alanstrainor

Really lovely commute home up along the rock road. The fresh sea air was welcome respite from the heat. What I couldn't believe was the amount of cyclists with full jackets, gloves, leg warmers on. Even guys going at a relatively decent pace were all kitted out.

G1032

Booked the day off work tomorrow so we're up visiting my parents (Galway) . Brought the bike into work with to cycle out to them after work.

So the good :
Unreal weather. So warm. Little bit windy but big deal.
The 'city' cycling involved going from Ballybrit to Newcastle and I thought the cyclist was well catered for. Good cycle lanes and they weren't full of debris. Impressed.

The bad: The road from Newcastle to Oughterard (N59) is nothing short of a disgrace. Road works everywhere and the road surface for most of the trip were shockingly bad
Got a puncture Moycullen. My first puncture in 8600+ km!! Managed to get back on the road in about 15 minutes. Couldn't for the life of me find anything stuck in that tyre and was paranoid I'd get a second puncture but managed to get home without further incident.
Couple of close calls with the usual drivers who think they own the roads.

Lovely steak dinner with roast potatoes ready for me when I got in the door. Gotta love that

secman

Managed to get out for a spin this evening. Kilnamanagh to blessington..valleymount...around to ballyknockon..Lacken. back through blessington, main Road back to Kilnamanagh. 70.4km... ave 25.6km. Lovely evening for a spin. Saw what looked like a race , starting at old Brittas inn..

Oh and no dogs

Bloggsie

Dades wrote: »

Enjoying the amazing day while out for a quick spin and feeling very smug about having mastered my first clippy shoes on their debut outing.

Then I keeled over in front of a long line of cars waiting to turn.

#pridebeforeafall

I fell on my 1st outing with clip ins, outside a church as a funeral was about to leave!

Bloggsie

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Really lovely commute home up along the rock road. The fresh sea air was welcome respite from the heat. What I couldn't believe was the amount of cyclists with full jackets, gloves, leg warmers on. Even guys going at a relatively decent pace were all kitted out.

I left my jacket in work yesterday, didnt fancy 30 kms wearing it home last nite, a cracking evening!

godtabh

873m of climbing in 45km. Starving now. Time for a fry

Seaswimmer

Last night did Killakee up Stocking Lane, Military Road, Glencree and back over to Johhny Foxes where we had 2 nice pints sitting outside.

They wont serve any kind of food outside so we rolled on down to Lamb Doyles where kitchen closed at 9, 10 minutes before we arrived.

Rolled home hungry....

Bloggsie

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Last night did Killakee up Stocking Lane, Military Road, Glencree and back over to Johhny Foxes where we had 2 nice pints sitting outside.

They wont serve any kind of food outside so we rolled on down to Lamb Doyles where kitchen closed at 9, 10 minutes before we arrived.

Rolled home hungry....

leave your mouth open, there's enough flies around at the mo to keep you going till you get home!

Seriously, nothing worse than being hungry while out on a spin.

triggermortis

Rode to work last night, lashing rain. Managed to dry gear to mildly damp before going home this morning - in more rain. Back into work tonight, started off dryish but heavens opened halfway here so all gear now soaking again. Great!

Weepsie

Got out for 45 minutes this evening and got 22 km done, at 29.8 km/h. Intended on going a bit slower, but legs felt fairly good after a few mins. Hoping to get the first century of the year next!

dahat

A bloody glorious day here today. I finshed work at 6am then rose again to at 10.30 to get a spin in before school run at two.

Cracking weather, minimal gear, good pace on and enjoying it till ssssssss and puncture, took 10mins to sort and off again on the second lap of a TT circuit locally.

Second lap, good pace on again, glanced at my Garmin and missed a pothole, instant puncture AGAIN.... With the spare tube used it was now time for the SOS call for rescue.

43km at 30.7 avaerage.

Really tempted to head off for a 7am spin to rid the mind of that horrible ending to the spin, off on a beach run with the family at 11 so am spin locally sounds really tempting.

Weepsie

Glorious here too, though chilly enough setting out. Went out with the goal of doing 100, not thinking about pace, but did 56 k the first 2 hours, took a short break in Tara for coffee and then got lost looking for either Naul or Garristown to get back to Oldtown.

Did Airport 3/4 loop - Hollystowm - Dunshauglin - Tara - Ardcath - Oldtown - Margarets - Home for 115 KM in 4 hrs 117. at 26.8 km/h.

Pace took a beating when I was getting lost after Tara. Lots of little hills, nothing big, just a lot of little buggers.

https://www.strava.com/activities/575625926

secman

Killenagh to Gorey..old n11 to Arklow..around coast road to Tara hill, Ballymoney, courtown, killenagh..home . 69km Avg 25km. Chilly to start at 9 ish... lovely day now.

smacl

Some panicky last minute preparation for the WW200. Looking very much like reclaiming the lanterne rouge, if indeed I manage to drag my sorry ass around at all. Today was Ballboden, Enniskery, Kilmac, Laragh, Aughrim, Aughavannagh, Slieve Maan, Shay Elliot, Laragh, Sally gap and home. 139k @ 20kph with 2.25k climbing. Still struggling on the hills, foot went down to take a breather half way up Slieve Maan which remains as vicious as ever and also half way up Shay Elliot for no good reason other than being bollixed. Fantastic day out, though I was glad I'd the long sleeves on.

smacl

dahat wrote: »

A bloody glorious day here today.

Who needs glorious when you can have bloody glorious. Bloody glorious countryside we have on our doorstep when the rain, hail, and storms let up, and some timed, bloody glorious then too.

dahat

smacl wrote: »

Who needs glorious when you can have bloody glorious. Bloody glorious countryside we have on our doorstep when the rain, hail, and storms let up, and some timed, bloody glorious then too.

Yep, drove the Coast Road today (Bunmahon to Tramore) and going to cycle it tomorrow but after 3 punctures in two days my confidence is somewhat battered.

terrydel

smacl wrote: »

Some panicky last minute preparation for the WW200. Looking very much like reclaiming the lanterne rouge, if indeed I manage to drag my sorry ass around at all. Today was Ballboden, Enniskery, Kilmac, Laragh, Aughrim, Aughavannagh, Slieve Maan, Shay Elliot, Laragh, Sally gap and home. 139k @ 20kph with 2.25k climbing. Still struggling on the hills, foot went down to take a breather half way up Slieve Maan which remains as vicious as ever and also half way up Shay Elliot for no good reason other than being bollixed. Fantastic day out, though I was glad I'd the long sleeves on.

If you got thru that 139 you will manage the W200 mate, just pace yourself esecially at the end, and take regular little breaks.
I'm a little worried about my stamina for the 200k as well, having done the LapDeGaps yesterday and suffered the last 15-20k (I did 115k after taking a few wrong turns!) just having the legs for the distance is my main concern. So vital that I pace myself and keep a bit in the tank. Im going up the hills really well, but dont have the miles in the legs like I did last summer.
But its challenge and thats what its all about!

G1032

Just some words of advice.....

Don't go out on a spin before 6am with no shoe covers or full fingered gloves. If you do find yourself out at that hour without them, don't say "sure I'll be grand" and keep going.

I suspect my feet will have defrosted sometime before nightfall. I hope they will anyway

73km done and back in home at around 20 past 8. Needs must and all that.....

https://www.strava.com/activities/576421768

Boscoirl

115km around Lough Derg yesterday glorious Sunshine, stopped too long for lunch so took the most direct way home,

Had a shower and went to the pub just after 4 to watch the rugby and Got home at 3 am. Not sure if hat is in a worse state, my head or Arse

https://www.strava.com/activities/575716142

Weepsie

Recovery spin, half the distance and a little slower than yesterday and some friends for company for half of it. Went to Howth, and didn't realise I'd gone ahead of them so went up to the Summit. Stopped for coffee and ice cream and we got out when the dart loads of day trippers started arriving.

I went my own way thinking it get me home quicker, but turns out it was equidistant, but made a nice loop on Strava.

58 km in 2. 25 at 24.5 km/h.

https://www.strava.com/activities/576736243/segments/14005918689

smacl

terrydel wrote: »

If you got thru that 139 you will manage the W200 mate

Cheers, I've done it a number of times before, just left the preparation a bit late this year and not got as many long days on the bike as I'd like.

Daroxtar

First proper hilly 100+ of the year and what a beautiful day. Went up from Enniskerry to Glencree and then down to Laragh. Truth be told, it was chilly on the toes alright for the first few hours.
Met a few lads who were heading up the Wicklow Gap so I asked to tag along as I hadn't done it before. Lovely fellas they were and it was great to have a chat along the way as well as them knowing where to turn for Valleymount.
I have to say, the Wicklow Gap was a lovely climb but much easier than I expected. The 4 of us kept an easy pace going and before I knew it we were over the top and barely out of our comfort zone.
On down and into Blessington where the usual happiness ensued as a frumpy fück wit with a cheap fake tan roared out the window of her brother-husbands beeemer something about "getting out of my f ing way". Neither of the cross eyed siblings looked impressed when they got stuck behind a funeral shortly afterwards and my cycling pal reminded them of some of the basic rules of the road.

I can see why people avoid the N81.

Continued on down to Tallaght and did an extra few hundred yards up and down the road to make sure I was over the 115km so I could get my all important Strava grand fondo badge. Legs a little tired but not too bad.
I like that route, plenty of opportunities to add in a good few hundred extra metres for not much extra mileage. Might throw in some Kippure next time, Turlogh Hill after that and maybe up Ballysmuttan and Ballinascorney to really blow the legs as the summer goes on.
Here's to the sunshine

116km, 1260m in 4:22@ 26.6kmh

https://www.strava.com/activities/576753591

crosstownk

I only managed to get 40km in yesterday due to kids stuff and was out on a bit of a session last night so I had a nasty hangover today.

I crawled out of bed and strolled down the road to support a few lads I know who were doing the Terenure 5 mile (for those of us that only speak Euro, that's 8km ). Between watching the runners and the good weather I decided I'd have to get out on the bike or I'd be annoyed with myself later in the day.

So I managed 40km farting around Dublin avoiding hills as I didn't want to poke the hangover too much in case it sought some kind of revenge.

Despite cycling in the city, I had just as many greenfly latch onto me as I would on a spin in Wicklow.

Now, I think it's time for some hair of the dog..............

sullivlo

Did the DSI lap the gaps yesterday. First time in the mountains. Struggled quite a bit but made it. Averaged 20kph which is ridiculously slow compared to most on here but I'm delighted with myself for doing it!

Got sunburnt though, despite wearing factor 50!

Fireball XL5

Having a nice cycle up towards feather beds when a w***er on a speeding motorbike passed met so closely I could almost smell his leathers. Nearly had to change my bib shorts with the fright I got.

Him and his buddies were stopped up at the top of the feather beds and I must admit I completely lost it with them. It was not my finest hour in terms of seeking peace and reconciliation but my blood was up and the adrenaline surge had really worked me up. Turns out it was a group of Polish motorbikers. When confronted the guy who almost hit me smiled, said sorry and said that there was no problem since he had not hit me.

Now I have to put my hands up here and say I am also a motorbiker and love nothing more than a blast through the twisties on a bright afternoon. However, also being a cyclist I am painfully aware of the fright a motorbike can give a cyclist and always give a wide berth.

The argument put to me today was that I was not the only road user. The argument that seems to have been missed however was that I was not driving a quarter ton vehicle at excessive speed close to other more vulnerable road users.

So folks to anybody you know who is a motorcyclist please take the time to pass on the message that while doing the twisties is great - there are are always likely to be more vulnerable road users about. Please be careful out there.

Oh and by the way - I have calmed down now (just).

Unknown Soldier

A lovely 14.5km out with the missus today on my INF8. Drove over to Blessington to start off as she is terrified of traffic etc. Handy little number, and a nice recovery spin after yesterdays Cycle4DSI lap De Gaps.

What with the commuting coming back online, happy enough with 200km+ this week, and nearly 2km of climbing.

Thankfully, after last year, I know that big bright sunny thing in the sky early in the morning =/= warm

dahat

Club spin today which was eventual for me to say the least.

Those who follow me on Strava will be aware i have had some bike issues last week or so, spoke and puncture drama. Heading off tbis morning i was a little anxious to say the least.

I headed off to the meeting point around 10k from my home place but on arrival a spoke went pop AGAIN, gggrrgghhhhh.... Had to borrow a wheel from a very kind clubmate who lives nearby. A very kind gesture.

Spin was great and a decent pace without being mental. On the main Tipp Town to Cahir road a car decided to overtake us and suddenly shoot across me and another lad to take a sharp left, we were on the front and only for i followed the car and turned left the whole group wpuld have been taken out, a very scary and shocking experience.

I was glad to get home in one piece with most of my bike!!!!

103k at 30.7km average.

Hauki

Headed out in the morning with just a quick coffee run to Enniskerry planned.

But then there was the sun.

And other riders.

And I was feeling good.

Things escalated.

Ended up doing 141k with ~1500m of climbing as I did both Sally and Wicklow Gap on my route. Insanely gorgeous out there today!

https://www.strava.com/activities/577156685

crosstownk

sullivlo wrote: »

Did the DSI lap the gaps yesterday. First time in the mountains. Struggled quite a bit but made it. Averaged 20kph which is ridiculously slow compared to most on here but I'm delighted with myself for doing it!

Got sunburnt though, despite wearing factor 50!

Absolutely nothing slow about 20km/h on those hills. Nothing.

Well done.